Surgical drape and method of making a surgical drape

ABSTRACT

A drape for performing a surgical procedure on a patient&#39;s body includes a sheet portion for placement on a surgical table, the sheet portion having a first and second side edge, and a transparent side portion connected to at least one of the first and second side edges of the sheet portion for allowing viewing of an area beneath the table by a surgeon or by surgical staff. The sheet portion is of a nonwoven material and the transparent side portion may be connected to each of the first and second side edges of the sheet portion by bonded seams. The sheet portion may include a reinforced portion and a fenestration located in the reinforced portion, as well as a fluid collecting pocket located along at least one side of the fenestration or reinforced portion. The sheet portion may also be T-shaped, depending upon the shape of the surgical table. A corresponding method of forming the drape is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a surgical drape and method ofmaking a surgical drape suitable for surgery, the center portion ofwhich is formed of a nonwoven material and which has transparent side orlower portions connected to opposite sides of the nonwoven material forthe purpose of allowing viewing of instruments or other apparatuses andcontrol mechanisms beneath a table which may be utilized, for example,in surgery.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Prior art surgical drapes are known and are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No.4,476,860 which discloses a surgical drape which includes a main sheetof flexible material having an inner surface for facing toward a patientafter placement of the drape, and an outer surface facing away from thepatient after displacement of the drape. The drape has a pair of pocketson the outer surface of the main sheet and includes an outer edgedefining an opening of the pockets which face towards each other. Thisdrape has the drawback, however, of not allowing for viewing ofinstruments or other apparatuses and control mechanisms which would benormally located beneath the surgical table. This can possibly lead todifficulties in terms of operation of control mechanisms during surgeryor locating apparatuses which are of assistance to the surgeon or thesurgeon's support staff during surgery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a drape for performingsurgical procedures on a patient's body which includes a sheet portionfor placement on a patient lying on a surgical table, the sheet portionhaving a first and second side edge, and a transparent side portionconnected to at least one of opposed first and second side edges of thesheet portion for allowing viewing of an area beneath the table toassist the surgeon and/or the surgeon's support staff during surgery.

A further object of the invention is to provide the sheet portion with areinforced portion and an elongated or longitudinally extendingfenestration formed in the reinforced portion. The fenestration allows aspecific area of the patient to be exposed for a variety of surgicalprocedures.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a surgical drapewherein the reinforced portion has fluid collecting pockets, pouches ortroughs formed at least along one side of the reinforced portion or thefenestration formed in the reinforced portion to catch fluid runoff fromthe surgical site would otherwise obscure the visibility characteristicsof the transparent side portions if the fluid were allowed to drain offfrom the table.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a sheet portionwhich is T-shaped so as to fit over an operating table which hasarmboards and to provide a sheet which may have a slit portion at oneend thereof which allows for an extremity of a patient to be exposedtherethrough for a surgical procedure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drape which has anonwoven material portion which includes a reinforced portion forcovering a portion of a patient to be operated on or to provide anonwoven material portion of the sheet which includes a reinforcedportion wherein an elongated or longitudinally extending slit is formedin the reinforced portion.

Lastly, a yet further object of the invention is to provide a sheetwherein a nonwoven material portion thereof includes a reinforcedportion, a slit formed in the reinforced portion and fluid collectingmeans located on the reinforced portion and positioned along at leastone side of the slit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendantadvantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention showing asurgical drape with clear or transparent sides;

FIG. 2 illustrates a surgical drape with clear or transparent sideswherein a slit or U-shaped fenestration is formed at one end of thedrape;

FIG. 3 illustrates an additional embodiment of the invention whichutilizes a surgical drape having clear or transparent sides in additionto a reinforced surgical fenestration;

FIG. 4 shows a surgical drape having transparent sides in combinationwith a reinforced surgical fenestration that incorporates pockets forthe collection of fluid runoff;

FIG. 5 illustrates a drape having a T-shape for being placed on asurgical table having armboards, the drape including clear ortransparent sides and arm portions to cover the armboards;

FIG. 6 illustrates a drape similar to that of FIG. 5 but which includesa split or U-shaped fenestration at one end thereof;

FIG. 7 shows a surgical drape similar to that of FIG. 5 but whichincludes a reinforced surgical fenestration that utilizes pockets forcollection of fluid runoff from a surgical site;

FIG. 8 shows a surgical drape similar to that of FIG. 5 but whichincludes a reinforced surgical fenestration;

FIG. 9 illustrates a surgical drape with a reinforced area for coveringpart or all of the patient;

FIG. 10 illustrates a surgical drape wherein a slit is provided at oneend of a reinforced area so as to allow for an extremity of the patientto be exposed through the slit for a surgical procedure;

FIG. 11 shows a surgical drape having pockets, pouches or troughslocated on a reinforced area and which at least partially surround aslit formed in the reinforced area; and

FIG. 12 shows a surgical drape with non-transparent sides.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a surgical drape 1 suitable for surgery, the mainsheet or center portion 2 of which is made of nonwoven material (i.e.,hydroentangled wood pulp/polyester, wet laid wood pulp/polyester, woodpulp, polyester, spunbonded polypropylene or ethylene,spunbonded/meltblown/spunbonded polypropylene, poly amide or othersimilar materials or combination thereof that are not woven or knittedand do not require converting fibers to yarn) which has side portions 4,4 attached to the nonwoven center portion 2 on one or both sidesthereof. The side portions are those portions of the drape that extendfrom approximately the upper edge portion of the operating tabledownwardly to the floor. The side portions are also those portions ofthe drape along opposite lateral sides of the length dimension of thedrape, as compared with the shorter opposed end portions as can beappreciated from a review of FIG. 1. One or both of the side portions 4,4 are formed of a clear or transparent plastic material (i.e.,polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate or other materialwhich is of polymer construction).

It is also to be noted that nonwoven fabrics are broadly defined asincluding sheet or web structures made by bonding or entangling fibersor filaments (and by perforating films) by mechanical, thermal orchemical means as defined in THE NONWOVENS HANDBOOK of the Associationof the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, pages 9-11, and authored by Dr.Bernard Lichstein copyright 1988.

The transparent side portions 4, 4 are for the purpose of viewinginstruments or other apparatuses (i.e., fluid collection suctioncanisters, urine collection bags, oxygen/nitrous oxide connections) andcontrols (e.g., foot pedals for changing the table). This allows thesurgical staff to observe any area under the table. The clear plasticmaterial could also have physical properties which would be differentthan those of the nonwoven central portion (i.e., with improvedflammability properties or non-flaming characteristics which are notpossible in nonwoven material without the use of treatments which can beinjurious to areas contacting the skin of a patient).

The side portions 4, 4 are fixedly attached along bonded seams 8, 8 byuse of adhesives, glue, heat, tape, ultrasonics or by other suitablemeans. A surgical drape of the abovenoted description allows forcovering part or all of the patient 12. This drape would be used forsurgery where the operative site need not be exposed through the drape.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention whereinthe surgical drape 1 has a center portion 2 which is made of a nonwovenmaterial as explained in connection with FIG. 1 and which also includesan elongated or longitudinally extending slit or split 3 which has beencut from one end 10 of the drape. This allows for an extremity of thepatient to be exposed through the slit for a surgical procedure. Thismay also be used to expose some portion of the main body area of thepatient.

A further embodiment of the surgical drape 1 suitable for surgery isshown in FIG. 3 which illustrates a reinforced area 14 through which anelongated or longitudinally extending fenestration 16 has been cut. Thefenestration 16 would allow a specific area of the patient to be exposedfor a surgical procedure.

In FIG. 4, a surgical drape as described in FIG. 3 is illustrated butwhich also includes pockets, pouches or troughs 18 made from anysuitable material which is placed is proximity to and is open towardsthe fenestration 16 to catch fluid runoff from the surgical site whichwould otherwise obscure the visibility characteristics of the clear sideportions 4, 4 if allowed to drain off the table. The pockets 18 arelocated on opposite sides of the reinforcement 14, may be made from anysuitable material and are constructed to catch fluid runoff for removalby appropriate means such as a suction member or drainage line. Thepockets 18 can be located on one side, both sides, or can be located soas to be continuous around the fenestration 16.

With regard to the embodiment in FIG. 5, the surgical drape is similarto that shown in FIG. 1 but includes transparent extensions 20, 20attached to nonwoven portions 2, 2 which cover armboards 22, 22 of theoperating table. The armboards are used when it is necessary to extendone or both arms of the patient. The result is that both the surgicaldrape and the table are of a T-shape.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a surgical drape 1 is shown whichcorresponds to that illustrated in FIG. 5 but which also includes a slit3 in addition to the extensions 20, 20 which cover the armboards 22, 22of the operating table so as to be T-shaped.

A surgical drape is also shown in FIG. 7 which includes structuresimilar to that shown in FIG. 4 in addition to having armboards 22, 22and drape extensions 20, 20. That portion of the drape which covers thearmboards 22, 22 is preferably of nonwoven material 2.

With regard to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, this illustrates asurgical drape similar to that shown in FIG. 3 but with the addition ofarmboards 22, 22 and extensions 20, 20 such as described in FIG. 6.

A further embodiment of the surgical drape 1 is shown in FIG. 9 whichhas a reinforced area 24 for covering part or all of the patient 12.This drape would, for example, be used for surgery where the operationalsite need not be exposed or would be used when the surgeon cuts anopening through the reinforced portion to expose a surgical site of thepatient. In FIG. 10, the surgical drape includes a slit or split 26which has been cut from one end 11 of the reinforced area 24. This wouldallow for an extremity of the patient to be exposed through the slit 26for a surgical procedure. This may also be used to expose a portion ofthe main body area of the patient 12.

A yet further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.11 which shows a surgical drape which includes one or more pockets,pouches or troughs 18 made from any suitable material for collectingfluid and which is located in proximity to a slit 26 for catching fluidrunoff from the surgical site which would otherwise obscure thevisibility characteristics of the clear lower portions if allowed todrain off the table. The pockets 18 are constructed to catch fluidrunoff for removal by a mechanism such as the suction member or adrainage line previously mentioned. The pockets 18 can be located on oneside, both sides or extend continuously around the split 26.

Lastly, FIG. 12 shows an embodiment like that of FIG. 1, but wherein thesides 104 of similar composition to that of sides 4, but which are nottransparent. Sides 104 can, of course, be substituted for sides 4 in anyof FIGS. 1-11.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:
 1. A drape for performing a surgical procedure ona patient's body, which comprises:a nonwoven and nontransparent sheetportion for placement on a surgical table, said sheet portion having afirst and second side edge; and a transparent side portion connected toat least one of said first and second side edges of said sheet portionfor allowing viewing of an area beneath said table wherein said sheetportion is T-shaped.
 2. A drape as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidsheet portion comprises a nonwoven material.
 3. A drape as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said transparent side portion is connected to each ofsaid first and second side edges of said sheet portion.
 4. A drape asclaimed in claim 1, which comprises means for fixedly connecting saidtransparent side portion by means of bonded seams to said at least oneof said first and second side edges of said sheet portion.
 5. A drape asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said sheet portion comprises a nonwovenmaterial portion including a reinforced portion having an elongated slitformed therein.
 6. A drape as claimed in claim 5, which comprises fluidconnecting means located on at least one side portion of said reinforcedportion.
 7. A drape for performing a surgical procedure on a patient'sbody positioned on a table, which comprises:a substantially T-shaped,nonwoven and nontransparent sheet portion for placement on said surgicaltable, said sheet portion having a first and second side edge; and atransparent plastic side portion connected to at least one of said firstand second sides of said sheet portion such that said transparent sideportion overhangs a side of the table so as to allow viewing of an areabeneath the table.
 8. A drape as claimed in claim 7, wherein saidplastic side portion is connected to each of said first and second sideedges of said sheet portion.
 9. A drape as claimed in claim 7, whichcomprises means for fixedly connecting said plastic side portion bymeans of bonded seams to at least one of said first and second sideedges of said sheet portion.
 10. A drape as claimed in claim 7, whereinsaid sheet portion includes a reinforced area.
 11. A drape as claimed inclaim 7, wherein said sheet portion includes a reinforced area having afenestration formed therein.